Agni Purana — Avatara-lila, Shloka 10
Chapter 12 — श्रीहरिवंशवर्णनं (Śrī-Harivaṃśa-varṇana) | The Description of the Sacred Harivaṃśa
समर्पितास्तु देवक्या विवाहसमयेरिताः सा क्षिप्ता बालिका कंसम् आकाशस्थाब्रवीदिदम्
samarpitāstu devakyā vivāhasamayeritāḥ sā kṣiptā bālikā kaṃsam ākāśasthābravīdidam
ವಿವಾಹಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಕೇಳಿದಂತೆ ದೇವಕಿಯು ಮಕ್ಕಳನ್ನು ಸಮರ್ಪಿಸಿದಳು; ಕಂಸನು ಅವರನ್ನು ಕೆಳಗೆ ಎಸೆದನು. ಆಗ ಆಕಾಶದಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತಿದ್ದ ಒಂದು ಬಾಲಿಕೆ ಈ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಹೇಳಿದಳು.
Narrator (Agni Purana’s puranic narrator voice; traditionally Agni instructing Vasiṣṭha in the frame)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Avatara-Katha","secondary_vidya":"Cosmology","practical_application":"Krishna-janma narrative used for teaching daiva-vidhi (inevitability of destiny) and for devotional recitation in Janmashtami/Krishna-katha contexts.","sutra_style":false}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Description","entry_title":"Kamsa casts down the infants; the sky-voice maiden speaks","lookup_keywords":["Devaki marriage","Kamsa infant killing","akashavani","yogamaya maiden","prophecy"],"quick_summary":"The verse sets the narrative trigger: Kamsa’s violence against Devaki’s offered children is answered by a supernatural sky-abiding maiden’s speech, establishing divine intervention and the coming avatara."}
Alamkara Type: Adbhuta (wonder) via divya-vyapara; also Vakrokti through sudden sky-speech
Concept: Daiva (destiny) overrides adharmic power; divine speech checks tyrannical violence.
Application: Cultivate restraint and dharma; interpret adversity as not final when aligned with righteous order.
Khanda Section: Avataras & Krishna-Charita (Puranic Narrative Section)
Primary Rasa: adbhuta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Type: Kingdom
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Kamsa in a royal chamber casting down an infant; above, a radiant maiden figure suspended in the sky delivering a prophecy; attendants recoil in fear.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, flat vibrant colors, Kamsa in Mathura palace throwing an infant, celestial maiden in the sky with halo, expressive eyes, ornate jewelry, traditional mural borders","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting, Kamsa with royal ornaments, infant in motion, sky-maiden with embossed gold halo and jewelry, rich reds and greens, temple-like arch framing","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting, delicate linework, narrative palace interior, subtle shading, sky-maiden speaking with gesture of admonition, inscriptions-like caption panel","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed palace architecture, courtiers, dynamic gesture of Kamsa, small luminous figure in the sky with speech scroll, fine textiles and perspective"}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"epic","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"epic"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: samarpitāstu = samarpitāḥ + tu; vivāhasamayeritāḥ split as vivāha-samaye + īritāḥ; ākāśasthābravīdidam = ākāśa-sthā + abravīt + idam.
Related Themes: Agni Purana Krishna-janma and Kamsa-vadha narrative sequence (same khanda); Agni Purana Devi-stuti/name-recitation sections for protective speech motifs
FAQs
This verse is primarily itihāsa–purāṇa narrative (avatāra-kathā), not a ritual manual; it establishes the prophetic divine intervention (ākāśa-sthā/ākāśa-vāṇī) that triggers the subsequent events leading to Kṛṣṇa’s descent.
Alongside ritual, polity, medicine, and poetics, the Agni Purana preserves avatāra narratives; this verse exemplifies the text’s purāṇic historiography—linking cosmic purpose (prophecy) with political action (Kaṁsa’s violence).
It highlights adharma’s consequence: tyrannical acts against the innocent invite divine correction, and the prophecy signals that destiny aligned with dharma cannot be prevented by force.